THE INSOMNIA COFFEE Company has announced that it is to enter the retail franchising market and create 100 new jobs over the next five years in the process.

The Irish-owned company, which operates coffee shops across the country, has said it plans to open 15 stores over the next five years which will lead to the creation of the 100 jobs.

The new stores will allow entrepreneurs to get involved in the franchising opportunities on offer and the company has encouraged anyone “with a genuine interest and passion for coffee” to come to their stand at the Franchising Exhibition at the RDS on 27 and 28 April.

The Insomnia Chairman and Dragons’ Den favourite, Bobby Kerr said today: “We have now reached a point in our development where we believe that partnering with ambitious entrepreneurs through a best practice franchising relationship will support our future growth and expansion plans.

“We are excited about this new development and believe that it will position us strongly to bring our customer focused Insomnia offer to more people throughout Ireland.”

Set up in 1997, the company has gone on to become one of the country’s most successful brands with over 60 coffee shops on high streets nationwide.

It has additional outlets in Eason’s, Spar, Meadows & Byrne, Plantagen (Gardenworks) and An Post as well as 150 branded self-service machines nationwide.